Now we're down to 2 US automakers

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

I must be missing something here Jamie...as far as I'm aware all production line vehicles are now owned by foreign parent companies

That's probably true, but it brings up an interesting point. If Fiat has already owned the controlling interest in Chrysler for the past five years, what has changed? What will change? Will Chrysler start building Italian cars? Probably for the average car owner nothing will change at all. Perhaps construction techniques will improve. Perhaps the opposite. Perhaps more jobs will be sent overseas. Perhaps not.

That video on British manufacturing was startling, to say the least. I'm reminded of a conversation between my friend Rocky and a biker. The part of the talk involved the fact that, until found out, Harley-Davidson used Keihin carburetors, along with several other Japanese-made parts. Harley had to spend some money overcoming that embarrassment. The point of the argument was that when the biker proudly said "My Harley was made in America!", Rocky replied "So was my Kawasaki."

And it's true. In 1974 Kawasaki became the first foreign company to manufacture motor vehicles in the United States with their plant in Lincoln, Nebraska. They save time and money not having to ship products from the home country to the point-of-sale, and employ local workers and management. Only the ownership is actually overseas. So what is the difference between that and Chrysler now being owned by a foreign company? I don't know.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

That's probably true, but it brings up an interesting point. If Fiat has already owned the controlling interest in Chrysler for the past five years, what has changed? What will change? Will Chrysler start building Italian cars? Probably for the average car owner nothing will change at all. Perhaps construction techniques will improve. Perhaps the opposite. Perhaps more jobs will be sent overseas. Perhaps not.

That video on British manufacturing was startling, to say the least. I'm reminded of a conversation between my friend Rocky and a biker. The part of the talk involved the fact that, until found out, Harley-Davidson used Keihin carburetors, along with several other Japanese-made parts. Harley had to spend some money overcoming that embarrassment. The point of the argument was that when the biker proudly said "My Harley was made in America!", Rocky replied "So was my Kawasaki."

And it's true. In 1974 Kawasaki became the first foreign company to manufacture motor vehicles in the United States with their plant in Lincoln, Nebraska. They save time and money not having to ship products from the home country to the point-of-sale, and employ local workers and management. Only the ownership is actually overseas. So what is the difference between that and Chrysler now being owned by a foreign company? I don't know.

I find it rather embarrassing they can buy our companies and run them for profit in the same country we couldn't. It's not just car manufacturing either power and water companies as well a host of others are joining an ever lengthening list.

Pretty soon there'll only be the crown jewels left...or have we already sold them?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

It's not just car manufacturing either power and water companies as well a host of others are joining an ever lengthening list.

Funny, our own Utah Power and Light is wholly owned and operated by Scottish Power.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Funny, our own Utah Power and Light is wholly owned and operated by Scottish Power.

Not funny at all if Scotland gains independence and cuts off your supply for being allied to the English

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Not funny at all if Scotland gains independence and cuts off your supply for being allied to the English

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

They wouldn't dare or we'd close all the takeaways

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

They wouldn't dare or we'd close all the takeaways

But then half of England will starve.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Funny, our own Utah Power and Light is wholly owned and operated by Scottish Power.

Polygamists in kilts!!!

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

Antactica today!; tomorrow, the imperialist round-eyed dogs!

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

They wouldn't dare or we'd close all the takeaways

No wonton tacos!!!

[vienna]

Originally Posted by Betonov

The downfall of US car manufacturers were greedy managers and CEO's.

More money was spent in bonuses, lobbying and bribes than actual design and investments.
And more and more jobs were outsourced.
You can hear all you can about Americans but I'll fight someone when it comes to defend the hardworking able American. You can build quality things, problem is you manufacture less and less.
FIAT on the other hand, like the rest of European countries, can't survive only by it's domestic market. Cars are mediocre, but they're cheap, low maintainance and very high mileage. Perfect for a lower income European that just needs some wheels.

This is, indeed very true. It used to be manufactured items in the US were made and managed by people who actually cared about their products, having either invented, created, or developed their products and thereby had a singular, vested interest in the the rputation and quality of their product. In many cases, it was a family concern and the very name of the family was at stake. After the advent of the late 70s ascencion of the "bean counters", with their shiny new MBAs, and the growth of the trend towards mergers and acquisitions, American manufacturing quality and pride in ownership took a back seat to "bottom-line" considerations. It became more profitabloe (i.e., bigger bonuses for the execs) to sell a manufacturing concern rather than invest in new plant or R&D. Folloowing WW2, the Japanese were able to surpass the US in manufaturing grwoth mainly because their manufacturing infrastructure had been demolished, allowing them to "start from scratch" with new plant and procedures. The US moved forward, also, using methods learned in wartime manufacturing to creat the manufacturing boom of the late 40s, 50s, 60s, and early to mid-70s. However, after that, the amount of new plant to replace or update rapidly outmoded or declining existing plant steadily dropped. The management of the manufacturing sector increasingly moved from family-based ownership/management or "worked up from the mailroom" executives to management culled from universities and colleges with impressive degrees, but little loaylty to the companies. Also, the management ranks were being filled by persons outside of a companies field of interest (e.g., a former banking CEO running a automotive manufacturer, or a automotive exec running an electronics firm). The days of company loyalty and pride of work, at all levels of American manufaturing, are, I am afraid, long gone...


<O>

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

But then half of England will starve.

Maybe so...but not the English

[XabbaRus]

The thing with UK car manufacturers wasn't foreign companies buying them and running at a profit what we couldn't. It was a combination of rubbish management over unionisation with a labour force happy to wreck products and hence a reputation sank and the industry was done for. Then the. Japanese came and built factories. Taught new management and production techniques so that Nissan uk have one of if not the most efficient car factory in their group. They treat the workers right and everything works. The irony is that most of the top car designers are uk born and educated. Even the design houses are based in the uk. American cars I'm afraid have never had a great reputation for build or technological advance. The current Mustang still uses a live rear axle if not coach springs. All modern euro and Japanese sports cars use all round fully independent suspension. I remember being in a good few American cars from top luxury to big standard and not being more seed by the finish or style. So hopefully FIAT can bring some good changes.

[em2nought]

They should have tanked Chrysler and kept Plymouth, with Dodge as the main monicker. Still my preferred American choice of the three. Really bad thinking to not have much of anything with decent mileage. Maybe they should have just become a kit car manufacturer selling Challenger, jeep, and power wagon bodies minus a 318 that you install yourself.

[Tango589]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

They already own UK Power Networks, the electricity company in SE England.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Tango589

They already own UK Power Networks, the electricity company in SE England.

They are also going to finance the next super nuclear power station.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...ear-power.html

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

They are also going to finance the next super nuclear power station.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...ear-power.html

Indeed, they're looking to invest outside of the PRC now, since the new Five Year Plan looks to try to stabilise the economy of the country. Furthermore, the experience and knowledge gained through helping the UK build its next gen power stations will go towards the PRCs power station construction spree.
I was chatting to some chaps from our local NPP and they told me about a design of reactor that was imported from the French in the 1990s, the 900MWe class, which produced (surprisingly enough) 900MWe, but this was not quite enough for the Chinese, who took the design, improved upon it and got it putting out 1000MWe. Their latest development of it, the ACPR-1000 will get rid of the final vestiges of the French design and enable it to be marketed abroad (since the French still own the design rights of the 900MWe).
So it's win-win really, we get our NPPs, they get their NPPs, and they get ideas they can use for their next generation of NPP.